Over 550 children from 23 states and the District of Columbia shared their “Pandemic Poetry” with KidsPost. It was an extremely difficult task to reduce them to 10. “I was amazed by the creativity, tenderness and resilience of these young writers in the face of the pandemic,” said Alexandra Huynh, one of the three young poets. winners who helped judge the competition. . “I loved seeing the young poets exploring nature and the relationships around them, and looking through portals, windows and screens to something beyond their everyday realities,” added Judge Serena Yang.
These 10 poets will receive a bundle of books (including one by Nikki Grimes, Linda Sue Park or Dwanye Reed), a KidsPost t-shirt and other goodies.
Justice Alora Young encouraged all children to keep writing and remember that there is no mold for a poet: “You are what a poet is like.”
Find my place
By Sydney Jean, 13. Falls Church, Virginia
I’m going back to school today
After a year behind my door
Ready to embrace the world
A thousand questions blow like the wind
As I open up to take it
The excitement builds on itself
Waiting for the perfect moment
burst – releasing energy flows
Screaming from my heart, begging to be heard
Feeling waves of questions, the wind of my fear creates
A vicious storm, a blackened sky
On which to pontificate
Each heavy blow of second thoughts pulls me under.
Anchored in the existential thoughts of my place, in this place.
And they smile behind their masks, I wonder.
Persevere
By Wesley Sudderth, 11. Mount Crested Butte, Colorado
The virus crawls through the
human files
looking through our lives
spread violently
But still we shine the light in the
sea of sadness
We give, we receive
Give light
to those of
Darkness
Bring light to the world
We as humans persevere
Hope from the ashes
By Yusra Qureshi, 8. Manassas Park, Virginia
What were you doing during the pandemic?
Were you as firm as the trees or did you panic?
A disease that spreads from person to person,
And the cases are getting worse and worse and,
The world seems smaller and smaller but,
We cannot be discouraged, not we!
Because scientists have created vaccines,
It will sweep away this terrible virus,
It will save our loved ones and bring us peace,
To wake us up from this nightmarish dream.
But something new rises from the ashes,
Something special, even something splendid,
A taste of hope that this will end,
A fresh flavor to savor forever.
Alone
By Olivia Goddard, 13. Arlington, Virginia
By connecting.
The blue light pierces my eyes.
Silence.
I don’t know who my classmates are.
They are reduced to simple initials on a screen.
I don’t remember their names anymore and I never saw their faces. I rarely hear their voices.
There are barriers.
Cut connections and divide people.
Like a prison, each person imprisoned in their own cell. Desperate to get out.
To escape from.
But we are stuck here, faceless, silent. Alone.
One day in the year
by Bobby Goldyn, 13. Makawao, Hawaii
My eyes are open
the sun is rising now
The perpetual calm …
…tranquilizer
I dress and wash for almost no one
A full day awaits us
another slow
Connected to zoom
I study my reflection
My camera is off
to hide my complexion
I cover my eyes
with my new blue light glasses And I slowly and reluctantly attend all of my classes
Tomorrow is the same
our lives on a loop
The sun is finally down
another day is over
My pilot stays on
but no gas is supplied
Stay upbeat, stay upbeat until it’s all calmed down
Covictionary
By Zuzu Lang, 10, Warrenton, Virginia
New words are swimming
Around my head.
I test them
In my mouth
Feel my tongue
Fold and twist,
My mouth
Opening and closing.
QUARANTINE
(kwar-uhn-adolescent)
Last name
A strict
INSULATION
Imposed on
AVOID
The spread of
DISEASE.
Open mouth,
Close it, smell the THUD. The abyss
GRAVITY
The word.
CONFINEMENT.
SOCIAL DISTANCING.
ZOOM.
VIRUS.
PANDEMIC.
The words mean
NO
To some friends.
NO
At HUGS.
NO
To the PARTIES.
NO
At CLASSES.
The words mean
YES
To MASKS.
YES
Wrestle.
YES
To WISHES.
YES
AT WANTING.
YES
TRY
YES
AT
PERSEVERANCE.
And
ALWAYS
AT
HOPE.
Homeschool with grandmother and grandfather
By Samantha Iadarola, 9 years old. Silver Spring, Maryland
Working at the kitchen table
While we learn fairy tales and fables.
There is no yellow school bus
Just grandfather to pick us up.
We have learned mysteries
Also, a bit of history.
I read a biography on RBG
And how cool was she?
We go down to the basement to eat our lunch
Then we snack and snack and snack.
Grandma comes and kisses me on the head,
“I love you and I do a good job,” she said.
Joy
by Aliya Ramirez-Skolnik, 12. Chevy Chase, Maryland
Hello January, I breathed a clear and crisp winter air.
Hello February. I watched a meteor shower.
11:11 am, make a wish, March. I went out and saw the green grass growing.
Good afternoon, April. I watched the raindrops run down my window.
Today is a sunny day, May. I went outside.
Good afternoon, June. It was hot so I ate ice cream.
It is 3 p.m., July. I saw a butterfly.
Hey, August. I looked at the stars.
How are you, September? I watched a lake as the birds flew above my head.
Good evening, October. I watched the autumn leaves fall.
What’s up, November? I watched a spider crawl.
Good night in December. I watched the sun go down.
Light in the dark
By Fiona Moats, 7. Alexandria, Virginia
When the world struck the bell that rang in danger
and the people faced massive destruction,
we knew good things end
but also evil.
If you close your eyes, you can see a space in the dark, and you
know that the light is never really gone as long as you think it is.
And we all have our voices and I still have
pancakes with my family on saturday
mornings.
Perseverance
By Amelia Muñoz, 8. Vienna, Virginia
Perseverance entered the scene
Give hope before a vaccine
The rover lit the way
Through the pandemic
So that the sorrow does not remain
Thanks to the NASA team
And their perseverance
I watched the rover land like a dream
Show that people can reach for the stars
This is the story of COVID and Mars
Find out more three new books that feature verses. What do you know about poetry? Find out by taking a quiz.
KidsPost editor: Christina barron; Artistic Director of KidsPost: Alla Dreyvitser; Editors: Annabeth Carlson and Brian cleveland.
Over 550 children from 23 states and the District of Columbia shared their “Pandemic Poetry” with KidsPost. It was an extremely difficult task to reduce them to 10. “I was amazed by the creativity, tenderness and resilience of these young writers in the face of the pandemic,” said Alexandra Huynh, one of the three young poets. winners who helped judge the competition. . “I loved seeing the young poets exploring nature and the relationships around them, and looking through portals, windows and screens to something beyond their everyday realities,” added Judge Serena Yang.
These 10 poets will receive a bundle of books (including one by Nikki Grimes, Linda Sue Park or Dwanye Reed), a KidsPost t-shirt and other goodies.
Justice Alora Young encouraged all children to keep writing and remember that there is no mold for a poet: “You are what a poet is like.”
Find my place
By Sydney Jean, 13. Falls Church, Virginia
I’m going back to school today
After a year behind my door
Ready to embrace the world
A thousand questions blow like the wind
As I open up to take it
The excitement builds on itself
Waiting for the perfect moment
burst – releasing energy flows
Screaming from my heart, begging to be heard
Feeling waves of questions, the wind of my fear creates
A vicious storm, a blackened sky
On which to pontificate
Each heavy blow of second thoughts pulls me under.
Anchored in the existential thoughts of my place, in this place.
And they smile behind their masks, I wonder.
Persevere
By Wesley Sudderth, 11. Mount Crested Butte, Colorado
The virus crawls through the
human files
looking through our lives
spread violently
But still we shine the light in the
sea of sadness
We give, we receive
Give light
to those of
Darkness
Bring light to the world
We as humans persevere
Hope from the ashes
By Yusra Qureshi, 8. Manassas Park, Virginia
What were you doing during the pandemic?
Were you as firm as the trees or did you panic?
A disease that spreads from person to person,
And the cases are getting worse and worse and,
The world seems smaller and smaller but,
We cannot be discouraged, not we!
Because scientists have created vaccines,
It will sweep away this terrible virus,
It will save our loved ones and bring us peace,
To wake us up from this nightmarish dream.
But something new rises from the ashes,
Something special, even something splendid,
A taste of hope that this will end,
A fresh flavor to savor forever.
Alone
By Olivia Goddard, 13. Arlington, Virginia
By connecting.
The blue light pierces my eyes.
Silence.
I don’t know who my classmates are.
They are reduced to simple initials on a screen.
I don’t remember their names anymore and I never saw their faces. I rarely hear their voices.
There are barriers.
Cut connections and divide people.
Like a prison, each person imprisoned in their own cell. Desperate to get out.
To escape from.
But we are stuck here, faceless, silent. Alone.
One day in the year
by Bobby Goldyn, 13. Makawao, Hawaii
My eyes are open
the sun is rising now
The perpetual calm …
…tranquilizer
I dress and wash for almost no one
A full day awaits us
another slow
Connected to zoom
I study my reflection
My camera is off
to hide my complexion
I cover my eyes
with my new blue light glasses And I slowly and reluctantly attend all of my classes
Tomorrow is the same
our lives on a loop
The sun is finally down
another day is over
My pilot stays on
but no gas is supplied
Stay upbeat, stay upbeat until it’s all calmed down
Covictionary
By Zuzu Lang, 10, Warrenton, Virginia
New words are swimming
Around my head.
I test them
In my mouth
Feel my tongue
Fold and twist,
My mouth
Opening and closing.
QUARANTINE
(kwar-uhn-adolescent)
Last name
A strict
INSULATION
Imposed on
AVOID
The spread of
DISEASE.
Open mouth,
Close it, smell the THUD. The abyss
GRAVITY
The word.
CONFINEMENT.
SOCIAL DISTANCING.
ZOOM.
VIRUS.
PANDEMIC.
The words mean
NO
To some friends.
NO
At HUGS.
NO
To the PARTIES.
NO
At CLASSES.
The words mean
YES
To MASKS.
YES
Wrestle.
YES
To WISHES.
YES
AT WANTING.
YES
TRY
YES
AT
PERSEVERANCE.
And
ALWAYS
AT
HOPE.
Homeschool with grandmother and grandfather
By Samantha Iadarola, 9 years old. Silver Spring, Maryland
Working at the kitchen table
While we learn fairy tales and fables.
There is no yellow school bus
Just grandfather to pick us up.
We have learned mysteries
Also, a bit of history.
I read a biography on RBG
And how cool was she?
We go down to the basement to eat our lunch
Then we snack and snack and snack.
Grandma comes and kisses me on the head,
“I love you and I do a good job,” she said.
Joy
by Aliya Ramirez-Skolnik, 12. Chevy Chase, Maryland
Hello January, I breathed a clear and crisp winter air.
Hello February. I watched a meteor shower.
11:11 am, make a wish, March. I went out and saw the green grass growing.
Good afternoon, April. I watched the raindrops run down my window.
Today is a sunny day, May. I went outside.
Good afternoon, June. It was hot so I ate ice cream.
It is 3 p.m., July. I saw a butterfly.
Hey, August. I looked at the stars.
How are you, September? I watched a lake as the birds flew above my head.
Good evening, October. I watched the autumn leaves fall.
What’s up, November? I watched a spider crawl.
Good night in December. I watched the sun go down.
Light in the dark
By Fiona Moats, 7. Alexandria, Virginia
When the world struck the bell that rang in danger
and the people faced massive destruction,
we knew good things end
but also evil.
If you close your eyes, you can see a space in the dark, and you
know that the light is never really gone as long as you think it is.
And we all have our voices and I still have
pancakes with my family on saturday
mornings.
Perseverance
By Amelia Muñoz, 8. Vienna, Virginia
Perseverance entered the scene
Give hope before a vaccine
The rover lit the way
Through the pandemic
So that the sorrow does not remain
Thanks to the NASA team
And their perseverance
I watched the rover land like a dream
Show that people can reach for the stars
This is the story of COVID and Mars
Find out more three new books that feature verses. What do you know about poetry? Find out by taking a quiz.
KidsPost editor: Christina barron; Artistic Director of KidsPost: Alla Dreyvitser; Editors: Annabeth Carlson and Brian cleveland.